Shackled
by Pythagora
Summary: A music video to the song "Shackled" by Vertical Horizon. Spans all Metal Gear games, including MGS4, so spoilers abound. -COMPLETE-


**"Shackled"**

_A music video based on Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots._

**A/N: **I haven't posted anything on here in a long, long time, let alone written anything worthy of being posted to begin with. But after completing MGS4 in four days flat, I knew I was inspired enough to sit down and put something together. Yes, that means that there will be loads of _**MGS4 SPOILERS**_ within this piece. That being said, these music videos of mine are always enjoyed best by listening to the song at the same time you're reading, if at all possible. Please enjoy, and as always, leave a review when you're through. :)

**Disclaimer: **I do not own anything mentioned from the Metal Gear Solid series, nor do I own the song "Shackled." They all belong to their respective owners/creators. No profit is being made from this, it's all in fun.

(During the musical intro, the camera pans across the graveyard where The Boss -- among others -- is buried. Flower petals can be seen fluttering on the wind, and eventually, the camera begins zooming in on a figure standing at one of the headstones. It is slowly revealed to be Snake.)

For so long my life's been sewn up tight inside your hold

(The camera continues to zoom in on Snake's face, looking weathered, burnt, and ready for a long rest. He takes a puff of his cigarette, knocking away some of the ashes afterward.)

And it leaves me there without a place to call my own

(For a moment, the camera swoops down to Snake's right hand, where he is holding a gun. His hand is trembling slightly, his knuckles turning white as he grips the handle of the gun.)

I know now what shadows can see

(Snippets of blurred, hazy flashbacks from Snake's various conversations with Liquid flicker on-screen, all involving his twin's mention of being mere shadows.)

There's no point in running 'less you run with me

(More flashbacks ensue, this time involving Snake interacting with Raiden. One particular scene shows Snake placing his hand on Raiden's shoulder as he holds his sword between his teeth. Raiden nods once in response.)

It's half the distance through the open door

(Snake moves to leave through a nearby door, glancing back behind him one last time at Raiden as he is slowly surrounded before turning around and exiting.)

Before you cut me down

(The scene switches back to Snake standing in the graveyard. He looks down at the gun in his hand, turning it slowly in his palm.)

Again

(A close-up shot of the gun being raised is shown, eventually being placed inside of Snake's open mouth.)

Let me introduce you to the end

(A shot of the sky is shown, birds suddenly flying off in all directions as if the trigger of Snake's gun had been pulled.)

(During the short music sequence, flashes of Snake fighting with Liquid are shown.)

And I feel the cold wind blowing beneath my wings

(Snake is seen moving along the George Washington Bridge as he did in MGS2. Rain is pouring and the wind is whipping his rain coat all around him.)

It always leads me back to suffering

(Snake is sitting in the Nomad, listening to Otacon speaking about something on a nearby computer screen, when suddenly he is wracked with a series of deep, bellowing coughs, doubling over with the effort of keeping himself in his chair.)

But I will soar until the wind whips me down

(During the fight with Liquid, Snake recieves a strong punch to the stomach, sending him flying backwards and landing hard on his back.)

Leaves me beaten on unholy ground again

(While Snake is lying on his back, Liquid immediately approaches and places his boot over his throat, keeping him down and cutting off his air at the same time.)

So tired now of paying my dues

(Snake watches as the van he and EVA, along with the rest of the children, were trying to protect containing Big Boss' frozen body burns.)

I start out strong but then I always lose

(As Snake holds her in his arms, EVA slowly dies from the burns she endured while trying to rescue Big Boss from the fire.)

It's half the distance before you leave me behind

(Meryl, who has been sitting at a small table with Snake, stands up and begins throwing her fit, pounding on the table, knocking over her chair, and stalking away.)

It's such a waste of time

(Snake looks down at a cigarette he's about to light, as if he's contemplating on whether or not to pass for once. He paused only briefly before shaking his head slightly and bringing the lighter's flame up to the tip.)

'Cause my shackles you won't be

(A scene of the fight between Liquid and Snake is shown.)

And my rapture you won't believe

(More of the fight is shown.)

And deep inside you will bleed for me

(A shot of Snake punching Liquid in the jaw is shown, sending him stumbling back while blood spurts from his mouth.)

So here I slave inside of a broken dream

(Snake is shown sitting inside of the Nomad, off to one side of the room. He is leaning against the wall with a hand pressed up against the side of his head, as if he is daydreaming or in some kind of a trance.)

Forever holding onto splitting seams

(During one of Snake's many missions, he is shown falling off the side of a long, mechanical bridge, managing to grab onto the edge at the last minute as he dangles over the side.)

So take your piece and leave me alone to die

(Otacon is shown standing over Snake after his long and grueling battle with Liquid. Snake is lying on the floor, half-conscious.)

I don't need you to keep my faith alive

(Meryl attempts to place her hand on Snake's shoulder in comfort, but he shrugs it off and walks away, leaving her frowning and looking a bit hurt.)

I know now what trouble can be

(Snake -- though really, in this timeline, it is Big Boss -- is shown stumbling upon young Ocelot's group of soldiers in the jungle. He stops dead in his tracks, obviously outnumbered, holding up his handgun.)

And why it follows me so easily

(A group of Dwarf Gekkos tumble towards Snake as he lies in GW's main chamber.)

It's half the distance through the open door

(Snake is shown crawling through the microwave-riddled corridor in order to get to GW's main chamber.)

Before you shut me down

(The Mk. III is shown standing at GW's panel, hurriedly working.)

Again

(Snake, sitting off to one side of the room on the floor, watches as GW's monitors shut down, flickering before an image of Naomi appears on each and every one of them.)

Let me introduce you to the end

(Otacon and Snake are shown in turn, each having separate reactions to Naomi's appearance on the monitors. Snake is glaring and looking angry, while Otacon is somewhat shocked and emotional.)

'Cause my shackles you won't be

(At the graveyard, Big Boss turns to Zero in his wheelchair and flips the switch to cut off his oxygen. Zero begins writhing and gasping for air.)

And my rapture you won't believe

(At Meryl and Johnny's wedding, Drebin sends a shower of flower petals and doves out across the sky from inside of his vehicle.)

And deep inside you will bleed for me

(Raiden shoves his sword through his own stomach, only to send it straight through Vamp, as well, who is standing behind him. Blood spurts from both men, and Raiden pushes the sword in even deeper.)

(Throughout the short instrumental intermission, various clips of the fights between Vamp and Raiden, Snake and Liquid, and Meryl, Johnny, and the Haven Troopers are shown.)

Though you know you care

(The clips of each battle speed up as they switch from one scene to the next, eventually melding into the next sequence.)

'Cause my shackles you won't be

(A bit of the CQC footage from the Snake/Liquid battle are shown, Liquid clearly taking the worse beating of the two.)

And my rapture you won't believe

(During Meryl and Johnny's battle with the Haven Troopers, the slow-motion roll along the floor the both of them do as they're firing their weapons is shown.)

And deep inside you will bleed for me

(Vamp is shown falling from the top of the landing he and Raiden were fighting on, while Raiden still remains standing atop it.)

And my laughter

(Back at the graveyard, Snake is shown still standing, holding onto the gun.)

You won't hear

(Flickers of the battle with Liquid are shown, albeit sped up and blurred.)

The faster

(Snake raises the gun and slips the barrel of it into his mouth.)

I disappear

(The sky is shown yet again, the birds flying off in fear of the sound of the trigger being pulled just like before.)

And time will burn your eyes

(The scene continues, now showing Snake on all fours on the ground, his gun clearly having been fired, though not at himself. He ducked out of suicide at the last moment.)

(As the final instrumental bit is played of the song, Snake pushes himself up to his feet and begins walking away while transparent images of various boss battles and fights are shown around him. The camera is still fixated on him as he retreats, but it remains where it is until Snake is far enough away to hardly be seen. The end credits of the game roll.)


End file.
